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From: loosemore-sandra@cs.yale.edu (Sandra Loosemore)
Newsgroups: rec.skate,rec.answers,news.answers
Subject: competitive figure skating FAQ list
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Date: 11 Mar 1994 12:34:04 -0500
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Summary: This is the FAQ list for (amateur) competitive figure skating. It
contains information about figure skating as a spectator sport (as
opposed to as a participatory activity).
Xref: bloom-beacon.mit.edu rec.skate:11967 rec.answers:4417 news.answers:16241
Archive-name: rec-skate-faq/competitive-figure-skating
Last-modified: 11 Mar 1994
This is the FAQ list for (amateur) competitive figure skating. It
contains information about figure skating as a spectator sport (as
opposed to as a participatory activity).
This FAQ list is posted approximately monthly during the competition
season. Send corrections and suggestions to loosemore-sandra@cs.yale.edu.
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Table of Contents
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[Part A] Rules and Regulations
[A.1] How is figure skating scored?
[A.2] Sometimes a judge gives marks that seem way too low. Why is this
permitted to happen?
[A.3] Why is skating judged on a scale from 0 to 6 instead of 0 to 10?
[A.4] What about rules for professional competitions?
[A.5] Are professional skaters allowed to compete in the Olympics?
Are amateurs allowed to be paid for skating?
[A.6] Why can't skaters do back flips in competition?
[A.7] What is the "Katarina Rule"?
[A.8] How do they decide which skaters get to go to the Olympics
or world championships?
[A.9] Why was [well-known skater] not disqualified when she had trouble
with her skate laces?
[Part B] Technical Elements
[B.1] What are the different jumps? How did they get such funny names?
[B.2] What about spins and other moves?
[B.3] What are the required elements for the technical program?
[B.4] What technical elements should I expect to see in a medal-winning
free-skating program?
[B.5] What's the difference between ice dancing and pair skating?
[B.6] The scoring in ice dancing often seem totally random to me.
What are judges really looking for in ice dancing?
[Part C] Skating People and Events
[C.1] Who's this Dick Button guy, anyway?
[C.2] Who was the first person to do [various jumps]?
[C.3] When are upcoming competitions?
[C.4] How do I get tickets for these competitions?
[C.5] Why didn't [well-known skater] compete at [Skate America |
Skate Canada | Trophee Lalique | etc]?
[C.6] What's the piece of music so-and-so is skating to?
[C.7] Who are recent [US | world | Olympic] champions?
[C.8] How do I send fan mail to my favorite skater?
[Part D] References
[D.1] Are there any good books about figure skating?
[D.2] What about magazines?
[D.3] Who wrote this FAQ list?
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[Part A] Rules and Regulations
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
[A.1] How is figure skating scored?
The singles and pair events each have two parts, the technical program
and the free skate. In the technical program, the skaters must
execute eight required elements (jumps, spins, and footwork sequences);
there are mandatory deductions for failures, and skaters are not
permitted to retry missed elements or insert extra elements. In the
free skate, there are no required elements, and falling or omitting
elements counts against the skater only as far as it reduces the
overall difficulty of the program, or if it disrupts the flow of the
program.
Skaters are given two marks. The technical mark (for required elements
or technical merit) is supposed to reflect the difficulty of the program
and the clean execution of the elements. The artistic mark (for
presentation or composition and style) is supposed to reflect the
choreography, music interpretation, flow, and balance of the program,
and other factors such as making good use of the ice surface and
skating with speed and sureness.
The two marks from each judge are added together and used to assign
skaters rankings. (In the case of ties, the technical mark has
more weight in the technical program, and the artistic mark in the
free skate.) Then the rankings from each judge are used to determine
the overall placements; the skater with the majority of first-place
votes places first, etc.
There is a complicated procedure for breaking ties and determining
placements when no skater has a majority of votes, but the marks
from all the judges are *not* added together, nor are the high and
low marks discarded.
The placements from each part of the competition are multiplied by a
weighting factor, and then added together to get the final placements
in the competition. The factor for the technical program is 0.5, and
the factor for the free skate is 1.0.
Scoring for ice dancing is similar, except that skaters do two
compulsory dances selected from a set that rotates yearly and an
original dance to a rhythm that also changes each year as well as
a free dance. The weighting factors are .2 for each compulsory dance,
.6 for original dance, and 1.0 for the free dance.
For the 1993-1994 season, the compulsory dances are the Starlight Waltz,
Paso Doble, Tango Romantica, and the Blues; and the original dance is
the Rhumba.
If you are really curious, there are some computer programs that
implement the scoring rules available by anonymous FTP from host
nebula.cs.yale.edu, in directory pub/sandra/rec.skate. There are
versions in Common Lisp and in C.
[A.2] Sometimes a judge gives marks that seem way too low. Why is this
permitted to happen?
First of all, remember that the marks given by a judge to a particular
skater are meaningless compared to the marks given by other judges --
all that matters is how *that same judge* ranks the skater compared
to the other competitors. Sometimes a judge consistently marks all
skaters a few tenths lower than the other judges without giving them
significantly different rankings.
Because the competition results are determined by a majority vote of
the judges, an individual judge can rarely influence the outcome of a
competition by ranking a skater much higher or lower than is really
appropriate. Furthermore, the referee of the competition is
required to report instances of questionable judging, which can lead
to disqualification of the judge in question for future competitions.
(And in extreme cases of national bias, the ISU has been known to ban
*all* judges from a particular country.) So judges actually have
little motivation to try to deliberately manipulate the results of
the competition.
[A.3] Why is skating judged on a scale from 0 to 6 instead of 0 to 10?
The reason why skating is judged on a scale where the perfect mark is
6.0 is because of its historical origins in tracing compulsory
figures. Each figure was skated three times on each foot, and the
judges were supposed to count one "point" for each tracing.
[A.4] What about rules for professional competitions?
In general, there *aren't* any rules -- each competition seems to have
its own format and judging system. The new pro-am events seem to have
adopted the basic amateur scoring system outlined above, but with some
relaxations of the rules regarding the length and content of the programs.
[A.5] Are professional skaters allowed to compete in the Olympics?
Are amateurs allowed to be paid for skating?
The policy of the international governing body for skating, the ISU,
has been that any skater who takes part in a competition that is not
sanctioned by the ISU (or one of its national governing bodies, such
as the USFSA) loses eligibility to compete in future "amateur" events.
It used to be that the loss of eligibility was considered permanent,
but after the 1992 championships, the policy was changed to allow
professionals to be reinstated if they stop participating in the
banned activities. At the same time, it was decided to allow a
wider range of competitions to be sanctioned -- for example, competitions
where both eligible and ineligible skaters compete for prize money.
Aside from the matter of sanctioned competitions, the dividing line
between amateur and professional status has otherwise become very
blurred -- so-called amateur skaters can still be paid for doing ice
shows, competitions, endorsements, TV appearances, and the like.
[A.6] Why can't skaters do back flips in competition?
Basically, because the consensus in the skating community is that back
flips aren't really a skating move, and that if they were allowed in
competition, the character of the sport might change in ways that are
seen as undesirable. The same reasoning applies to other forbidden
moves, such as pair-skating moves where the man swings the lady around
by her feet, or lifts above the shoulder in ice dancing.
[A.7] What is the "Katarina Rule"?
This refers to the guidelines for skaters' costumes that were adopted
after Katarina Witt showed up at the 1988 European championships
wearing a skimpy showgirl costume trimmed with feathers. (Many people
were dismayed by the increasing emphasis on theatrical costuming and
displays of pulchritude, rather than athleticism.) Ladies are now
required to wear skirts and pants "covering the hips and posterior".
Men cannot wear costumes that are sleeveless or that expose the chest.
Costumes are also supposed to be free from "excessive decoration", such
as feathers that can come loose and create a safety hazard on the ice.
[A.8] How do they decide which skaters get to go to the Olympics
or world championships?
The ISU allocates the slots to the different countries depending on
the placement of their skaters at the previous year's world
championships. Basically, if a country placed a competitor in the
top 3 (top 5 for pairs), they get to send three entrants in that
division; if they placed a competitor in the top 10, they get to
send 2; and otherwise, they can only send one entrant. Note that
the slots are assigned to the countries, not the individual skaters
who "earned" them at the previous competition; each country can send
any skaters it wants to use up its slots.
Because the number of skaters participating in these competitions has
become very large in recent years (making it hard to judge these
events), there is now a qualifying round competition at the world
championships to seed the skaters and reduce the number who make it
to the final round. There is no qualifying round competition at the
Olympic games, but the ISU has instead strictly limited the number
of skaters in each event (again, giving priority to countries whose
skaters placed higher at the previous year's worlds).
In the US, the teams for the Olympic games and world championships
normally consist of the top finishers from the US national championships.
In theory, the selection committee is permitted to deviate from the
consecutive order of finish, but in practice about the only time they
do so is when a top skater from the previous year was unable to compete
or skated poorly at nationals due to injury.
In turn, skaters qualify to compete in the US national championships
either by winning medals the previous year, or by skating in regional
and sectional qualifying competitions.
[A.9] Why was [well-known skater] not disqualified when she had trouble
with her skate laces?
The rules specifically allow for situations where skaters have problems
with their equipment or costumes breaking that makes it difficult or
dangerous for them to continue skating, as well as similar problems
with their music or the ice surface. Depending on the nature of the
problem and how long it takes to fix it, the referee will usually
allow the skaters either to immediately pick up where they left off,
or to reskate their entire program after all the other skaters in the
group are finished.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Part B] Technical Elements
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[B.1] What are the different jumps? How did they get such funny names?
The thing that distinguishes the different jumps is the takeoff. Most
right-handed skaters jump in a counterclockwise direction and land all
the jumps on a right back outside edge. I'll describe all the jumps
in this sense to minimize confusion.
These are the jumps you see in competition most often, in approximate
order from least to most difficult:
toe loop -- the approach is on a right back outside edge. The skater
then reaches back with the left foot and jabs the toe pick into the ice
to provide assistance for the jump at takeoff. Often done as the second
jump of a combination, or as a solo jump after an inside three turn.
(This is the same jump that roller skaters call the "mapes", and that
is called a "cherry flip" in some parts of the world.)
salchow -- the takeoff is from a left back inside edge; the typical
approach is from a three turn. The right leg swings to the front
with a scooping motion just prior to takeoff to assist the rotation.
The jump is named after Ulrich Salchow, who dominated skating in the
early 1900's.
loop -- this is also an edge jump, with takeoff from a right back
outside edge. Usually skaters approach this jump by skating backwards
on two feet, with the left foot crossed in front of the right.
(In Europe, this is also known as a Rittberger jump, after its inventor
Werner Rittberger.)
flip -- this is a toe-assisted jump from the left back inside edge and
right toe pick. Like the salchow, the usual approach is a three turn.
lutz -- this is a toe-assisted jump from the left back *outside* edge
and right toe pick; this means that the approach curve has the
opposite "direction" than the landing curve. The most typical
approach for this jump is a long, shallow edge diagonally across the
rink. Named after Alois Lutz.
axel -- this is the only common jump with a forward takeoff, from a
left front outside edge. Because of this, a single jump is actually
1.5 rotations. Named after Axel Paulsen, who invented it.
You also sometimes see these jumps, usually only as single jumps:
walley -- takeoff from a right back inside edge. You sometimes
see a skater do two or three of them in a row, shifting from the
right back outside landing edge to an inside edge to begin the next
jump.
toe walley -- takeoff from a right back inside edge and left toe pick.
Considered interchangable with the toe loop.
half loop -- this is a jump with a takeoff like the loop jump, but
that is landed on a left back inside edge. This is a full-revolution
jump in spite of the name. It's mainly used as a linking element
with a salchow in jump combinations.
one-foot axel -- this is a jump with a takeoff like an axel, but
that is landed on a left back inside edge like the half loop.
split jump -- the takeoff is the same as a flip, and the jump is
landed facing forwards on the left toe pick and right inside edge.
If the skater does a full rotation and lands backwards in the
usual way, the jump is called a "split flip". (You can also do a
split jump from a lutz takeoff.)
[B.2] What about spins and other moves?
back spin -- performed in the same rotation sense as a forward spin,
but on the opposite foot. Most right-handed skaters spin
counterclockwise, doing a forward spin on the left foot and a
back spin on the right foot.
scratch spin -- a fast upright spin. So called because it is done
on the forward part of the blade, so that the toe pick scratches the
ice slightly.
camel -- a spin in the "airplane" position, e.g. the torso and
free leg in a horizontal position. A flying camel is a back spin
in the camel position entered by means of a jump with a forward
takeoff, similar to an axel.
grafstrom spin -- a low camel spin, skated with a bent knee.
hamill camel -- this is a transition from a back camel spin to a back
sit spin by first bending the knee of the skating leg and then turning
out the free hip to "flip over" into the sitting position.
biellman spin -- this is the spin where the skater arches her back and
pulls her free leg high over her head.
death drop -- a flying spin similar to a flying camel, but where the
skater immediately drops into a back sitspin.
arabian or butterfly -- a jumping move similar to the entrance of
a flying camel or death drop, but without the spin afterwards.
Usually done in a series of two or three in a row.
spiral -- an edge skated with the free leg extended and held higher than
hip level. A relatively easy move, but effective when done with good
stretch and speed.
spread eagle -- a figure skated on two feet with the toes pointing in
opposite directions. It can be done either on outside or inside edges.
Again, this is a fairly easy move and its effectiveness depends on being
done with speed and a good body position (namely, without the skater's
bottom jutting out awkwardly).
ina bauer -- a spread eagle variant where one knee is deeply bent and
the other leg stretched behind the body. Typically done with an
arched back.
mohawk, choctaw -- these are two-foot front-to-back or back-to-front
turns. A mohawk is done on from inside-to-inside or outside-to-outside
edges, while a choctaw involves a change of edge. Mohawks are commonly
used in free skating as a simple turn or in step sequences, but choctaws
are more typically used only in ice dancing.
[B.3] What are the required elements for the technical program?
For men:
(a) double axel
(b) a triple jump preceded by connecting steps
(c) a combination of two double or triple jumps, without intervening
steps or turns
(d) a flying spin
(e) a different flying spin, done in a combination with a change of foot
and a change of position.
(f) another spin combination with a change of foot that utilizes all
three basic spin positions (sit, camel, and upright).
(g), (h) two different step sequences
For ladies:
(a) double axel
(b) a double jump preceded by connecting steps
(c) a combination of two double jumps or a double jump and a triple
jump, without intervening steps or turns
(d) a flying spin
(e) a layback spin
(f) a spin combination with a change of foot that utilizes all
three basic spin positions (sit, camel, and upright).
(g) a spiral step sequence
(h) another step sequence
For pairs:
(a) overhead lift
(b) double twist lift
(c) side-by-side double jumps
(d) side-by-side spin combinations, with a change of foot and at least
one change of position
(e) pair spin combination
(f) death spiral
(g) a spiral step sequence
(h) another step sequence
[B.4] What technical elements should I expect to see in a medal-winning
free-skating program?
For singles, the best skaters typically try to demonstrate at
least 5 of the 6 triple jumps. The most difficult elements that men
commonly include in their programs are either a triple axel or a quad
(or both), and at least one triple/triple combination. The most
difficult jumps commonly attempted by women are the triple lutz and
a triple/triple combination. A well-balanced singles program also
includes spins (including a flying spin and a spin combination) and
step sequences (including a spiral or spread-eagle sequence).
Pairs skating puts less emphasis on jumping, and the most difficult
solo jump attempted by many top pairs is the double axel. Pairs are
expected to do side-by-side jumps (including a jump combination), spins,
and footwork sequences in their programs, but they put the real
difficulty into the pair skating elements instead. A strong pairs
program will usually include two different throw triple jumps; a triple
twist lift; at least two other overhead lifts; and at least one pair
spin and one death spiral.
[B.5] What's the difference between ice dancing and pair skating?
Ice dancing is supposed to be ballroom or folk dancing, adapted to
ice. In practice, the difference is that ice dancers are prohibited
from doing the athletic free-skating moves that pair skaters do (jumps,
spins, lifts, etc) and concentrate on fancy choreography instead.
Also, ice dancers must skate to music that is recognizably dance music,
maintain recognizable dance holds and positions, and can only
separate briefly while changing positions.
[B.6] The scoring in ice dancing often seem totally random to me.
What are judges really looking for in ice dancing?
It's often harder for a casual spectator to evaluate ice dancing
performances than free skating because ice dancers rarely make major
mistakes such as falling. Some of the criteria that the judges use
are how close the man and woman skate together, whether they change
positions frequently, whether they skate different steps or in a
face-to-face position instead of doing a lot of side-by-side shadow
skating, how much speed they have as they move across the ice, and
whether they skate in exact unison and in time with the music.
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[Part C] Skating People and Events
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
[C.1] Who's this Dick Button guy, anyway?
Dick Button was the 5-time world champion and 2-time Olympic champion,
from 1948 to 1952. He's widely credited with introducing the modern
athletic style of skating. He was the first person to do a double axel,
and the first to do a triple jump (a triple loop). He also invented
the flying camel spin.
Here are some other people you hear about from time to time:
Gus Lussi -- Dick Button's coach. Also coached Dorothy Hamill. His
skaters are known for their superb spinning technique. He died
recently.
Carlo Fassi -- Italian national champion during the 1950's, but better
known as a coach. His skaters have included Peggy Fleming, Dorothy
Hamill, John Curry, Caryn Kadavy, and Jill Trenary. He is now
semi-retired.
Toller Cranston -- Canadian men's champion during the 1970's, now a
choreographer and coach. Known as a dramatic stylist.
Tamara Moskvina -- Russian pair coach (e.g., of Mishkutenok and Dmitriev).
Sandra Bezic -- Canadian pairs champion (with her brother Val) during
the 1970's, now a choreographer (e.g., for Boitano and Yamaguchi) and
TV commentator.
Jutta Muller -- coached Katarina Witt, Jan Hoffman, and most of the
other well-known East German singles skaters.
Ludmila & Oleg Protopopov -- Russian pair skaters who won Olympic
medals in 1964 and 1968. They're known for their ballet-like style.
They also invented pair moves such as the inside death spiral.
Tracy Wilson -- Canadian ice dancer; with her partner, the late Rob
McCall, she won a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics. Now a TV
commentator.
F. Ritter Shumway -- president of the USFSA at the time of the 1961
plane crash that killed the entire US world team and coaching staff.
He was instrumental in rebuilding the figure skating program in the
US and setting up the memorial fund which now provides financial support
for nearly all competitive skaters.
John Nicks -- former British pairs champion, now a pairs coach (e.g., of
Babilonia and Gardner).
Cecilia Colledge -- a British skater who was the 1937 world champion.
She was the first woman to execute a double jump (a double salchow) and
inventor of the camel and layback spins.
Galina Zmievskaya -- coach of Ukrainian skaters Viktor Petrenko and
Oksana Baiul (and also Petrenko's mother-in-law).
[C.2] Who was the first person to do [various jumps]?
Here's a partial listing.
single axel -- Axel Paulsen, 1882 (on speed skates!)
single salchow -- (women) Theresa Weld, 1920 Olympics (first jump
performed in competition by a woman; she was officially reprimanded
for attempting anything so "unladylike".)
double loop -- Karl Schafer, 1925 (in practice only)
double lutz -- Karl Schafer, 1926 (in practice only)
double salchow -- Gillis Grafstrom, 1926 (in practice only);
Cecelia Colledge, 1937(?) (first double jump by a woman)
double axel -- Dick Button, 1948 Olympic games;
Carol Heiss, 1956(?)
triple loop -- Dick Button, 1952 Olympic games (first triple jump)
triple lutz -- Donald Jackson, 1962 World championships;
Denise Biellman, 1978
triple salchow -- (women) Sonja Morgenstern, 1972 (first triple jump
by a woman)
triple axel -- Vern Taylor, 1978 World championships;
Midori Ito, 1988 NHK Trophy
quadruple toe loop -- Kurt Browning, 1988 World championships
[C.3] When are upcoming competitions?
Here are the ones I know about:
1994 Worlds Mar 22-27, 1994 Chiba, Japan
1995 US Nationals Feb 6-11, 1995 Providence, RI
1995 Worlds Mar 4-13, 1995 Birmingham, England
1996 US Nationals Jan 14-21, 1996 San Jose, CA
1996 Worlds Mar 18-25, 1996 Edmonton, Alberta
[C.4] How do I get tickets for these competitions?
All-event tickets for US Nationals typically cost around $150 a set
if purchased several months in advance. The phone number for orders
for 1995 Nationals is 1-800-SKATE 95. The phone number for information
about 1996 Nationals is 408-984-6837.
There is a travel agency called SkateTours that specializes in
offering travel packages (including hotel and transportation as well
as event tickets) for most competitions, including those in Europe
and Asia. For information, call 703-483-3700.
[C.5] Why didn't [well-known skater] compete at [Skate America |
Skate Canada | Trophee Lalique | etc]?
There are several of these "minor" international competitions that
take place each fall. They are sponsored by the various national
skating organizations in order to provide some additional
competition opportunities for their younger skaters, many of whom
wouldn't qualify for a "major" international event like the
world championships. Established skaters go to these competitions
too, to try out new routines or gain more media exposure. But
skaters typically only participate in one or two of these competitions
each season, and it's unusual for all of the top skaters to show
up at any one of them.
[C.6] What's the piece of music so-and-so is skating to?
Well, I'm not a walking music encyclopedia, but here are some (mostly
classical pieces) that I've been able to identify.
These are programs from the 1993/94 season.
Brian Boitano
technical: music from "Carousel"
free skate: "A Lincoln Portrait" and "Appalachian Spring", by Copland
Scott Davis
technical: music from "Zorba the Greek"
free skate: music from "West Side Story"
Kurt Browning
free skate: music from "Casablanca"
Elvis Stojko
technical: "Frogs in Space"
free skate: music from "Dragon"
Aren Nielson
free skate: music from "The Rocketeer"
Victor Petrenko
technial: "Toreador Song" from "Carmen", by Bizet
free skate: "La donna e mobile" from "Rigoletto", by Verdi;
"Ah fors e lui" from "La Traviata", by Verdi
Philippe Candeloro
free skate: music from "The Godfather"
Alexei Urmanov
technical: themes from "Rigoletto", by Verdi
free skate: themes from "The Barber of Seville", by Rossini
Oksana Baiul
technical: "Swan Lake" ballet, by Tchaikovsky
free skate: medley of Broadway show tunes
Chen Lu
technical: "Claire de Lune", by Debussy
free skate: music from "The Mission"
Tonya Harding
technical: music from "Much Ado About Nothing"
free skate: music from "Jurassic Park"
Nancy Kerrigan
technical: music composed for her by Mark Militano
free skate: medley of Neil Diamond tunes
Josee Chouinard
free skate: "An American in Paris", by Gershwin
Brasseur & Eisler
technical: "Hungarian Dance #5", by Brahms
free skate: "Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini", by Rachmaninoff
Mishkutenok & Dmitriev
technical: "Don Quixote" ballet, by Minkus
free skate: "Piano Concerto #2", by Rachmaninoff
Gordeeva & Grinkov
technical: flamenco medly
free skate: "Pathetique" and "Moonlight" piano sonatas, by Beethoven
Shishkova & Naumov
free skate: "Die Fliedermaus" overture and waltz, by Strauss
Kovarikova & Novotny
technical: "Warsaw Concerto" by Addinsell
free skate: Overture to "La Forza del Destino", by Verdi
Torvill & Dean
free dance: "Let's Face the Music and Dance"
Usova & Zhulin
free dance: music from "La Strada"
[C.7] Who are recent [US | world | Olympic] champions?
[Note: I'd be happy to include Canadian/European champions in this list,
if somebody sends me the information.]
Men:
1994: US/Scott Davis; Olympic/Alexei Urmanov
1993: US/Scott Davis; World/Kurt Browning
1992: US/Christopher Bowman; World/Viktor Petrenko; Olympic/Viktor Petrenko
1991: US/Todd Eldredge; World/Kurt Browning
1990: US/Todd Eldredge; World/Kurt Browning
1989: US/Christopher Bowman; World/Kurt Browning
1988: US/Brian Boitano; World/Brian Boitano; Olympic/Brian Boitano
1987: US/Brian Boitano; World/Brian Orser
1986: US/Brian Boitano; World/Brian Boitano
1985: US/Brian Boitano; World/Alexander Fadeev
1984: US/Scott Hamilton; World/Scott Hamilton; Olympic/Scott Hamilton
1983: US/Scott Hamilton; World/Scott Hamilton
1982: US/Scott Hamilton; World/Scott Hamilton
1981: US/Scott Hamilton; World/Scott Hamilton
1980: US/Charles Tickner; World/Jan Hoffmann; Olympic/Robin Cousins
Ladies:
1994: US/Tonya Harding; Olympic/Oksana Baiul
1993: US/Nancy Kerrigan; World/Oksana Baiul
1992: US/Kristi Yamaguchi; World/Kristi Yamaguchi; Olympic/Kristi Yamaguchi
1991: US/Tonya Harding; World/Kristi Yamaguchi
1990: US/Jill Trenary; World/Jill Trenary
1989: US/Jill Trenary; World/Midori Ito
1988: US/Debi Thomas; World/Katarina Witt; Olympic/Katarina Witt
1987: US/Jill Trenary; World/Katarina Witt
1986: US/Debi Thomas; World/Debi Thomas
1985: US/Tiffany Chin; World/Katarina Witt
1984: US/Rosalynn Sumners; World/Katarina Witt; Olympic/Katarina Witt
1983: US/Rosalynn Sumners; World/Rosalynn Sumners
1982: US/Rosalynn Sumners; World/Elaine Zayak
1981: US/Elaine Zayak; World/Denise Biellman
1980: US/Linda Fratianne; World/Anett Poetzsch; Olympic/Anett Poetzsch
Pairs:
1994: US/Meno & Sand; Olympic/Gordeeva & Grinkov
1993: US/Urbanski & Marval; World/Brasseur & Eisler
1992: US/Urbanski & Marval; World/Mishkutenok & Dmitriev;
Olympic/Mishkutenok & Dmitriev
1991: US/Kuchiki & Sand; World/Mishkutenok & Dmitriev
1990: US/Yamaguchi & Galindo; World/Gordeeva & Grinkov
1989: US/Yamaguchi & Galindo; World/Gordeeva & Grinkov
1988: US/Watson & Oppegard; World/Valova & Vasiliev;
Olympic/Gordeeva & Grinkov
1987: US/Watson & Oppegard; World/Gordeeva & Grinkov
1986: US/Wachsman & Waggoner; World/Gordeeva & Grinkov
1985: US/Watson & Oppegard; World/Valova & Vasiliev
1984: US/Carruthers & Carruthers; World/Underhill & Martini;
Olympic/Valova & Vasiliev
1983: US/Carruthers & Carruthers; World/Valova & Vasiliev
1982: US/Carruthers & Carruthers; World/Baess & Thierbach
1981: US/Carruthers & Carruthers; World/Vorobieva & Lisovsky
1980: US/Babilonia & Gardner; World/Cherkasova & Shakhrai;
Olympic/Rodnina & Zaitsev
Dance:
1994: US/Punsalan & Swallow; Olympic/Grischuk & Platov
1993: US/Roca & Sur; World/Usova & Zhulin
1992: US/Sargent-Thomas & Witherby; World/Klimova & Ponomarenko;
Olympic/Klimova & Ponomarenko
1991: US/Punsalan & Swallow; World/Duchesney & Duchesney
1990: US/Wynne & Druar; World/Klimova & Ponomarenko
1989: US/Wynne & Druar; World/Klimova & Ponomarenko
1988: US/Semanick & Gregory; World/Bestemianova & Bukin;
Olympic/Bestemianova & Bukin
1987: US/Semanick & Gregory; World/Bestemianova & Bukin
1986: US/Roca & Adair; World/Bestemianova & Bukin
1985: US/Blumberg & Seibert; World/Bestemianova & Bukin
1984: US/Blumberg & Seibert; World/Torvill & Dean;
Olympic/Torvill & Dean
1983: US/Blumberg & Seibert; World/Torvill & Dean
1982: US/Blumberg & Seibert; World/Torvill & Dean
1981: US/Blumberg & Seibert; World/Torvill & Dean
1980: US/Smith & Summers; World/Regoeczy & Sallay;
Olympic/Linichuk & Karponosov
[C.8] How do I send fan mail to my favorite skater?
Your best bet is send it to them in care of the rink or skating club
where they train, or their national skating federation.
The USFSA (or CFSA, for Canadians) may be helpful in providing
addresses and/or forwarding mail.
USFSA:
20 First Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719)-635-5200
CFSA:
1600 James Naismith Dr., Gloucester, ON K1B 9Z9
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[Part D] References
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[D.1] Are there any good books about figure skating?
A recommended book about the technical aspects of figure skating is
John Misha Petkevich's "Figure Skating: Championship Techniques"
(ISBN 0-452-26209-7), published by Sports Illustrated and available
in many bookstores. It's a trade-sized paperback, and features
photos of Brian Boitano.
The USFSA rulebook includes complete competition and eligibility rules,
diagrams of compulsory figures and dances, and a directory of
participating clubs. It comes in a small-sized loose-leaf binder
and costs about $10. It's updated yearly.
You can order a copy directly from the USFSA, at:
20 First Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
(719)-635-5200
You might also be able to buy a copy through your local skating club
or pro shop.
[D.2] What about magazines?
Here is a list of periodicals which deal with skating. (Disclaimer:
this isn't intended as a commercial endorsement of any of these
publications. Also, you might want to double-check the subscription
rates, since they may have changed since this information was collected.)
SKATING
20 FIRST STREET
COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO 80906-3697
719-635-5200
12 ISSUES/YEAR
$25/US
Official magazine of the United States Figure Skating Association.
Gossipy profiles of skaters, competition and tour reports, etc.
It includes 6 issues of a bimonthly magazine and 6 issues of a
bimonthly newsletter.
THE PROFESSIONAL SKATER
P.O. BOX 5904
ROCHESTER, MINN 55903
6 ISSUES/YEAR
$19.95/US, $29(USD)/CANADA, $45(USD)/FOREIGN
Newsletter of the Professional Skaters Guild of America.
Basically has articles of interest to coaches, etc.
Black/White photographs.
PATINAGE MAGAZINE
39 BLD DE LA MARNE
F-76000 ROUEN
FRANCE
5 ISSUES/YEAR
$30/US, $32(CANADIAN)/CANADA
Published in French w/ English translation. Fabulous photography!
TRACINGS
21 WEYBOSSET ST.
WEYMOUTH, MA 02191
8 ISSUES/YEAR
$16/US, $19/CANADA & OVERSEAS
PUBLISHED BY THE NEW ENGLAND INTER-CLUB COUNCIL
Features Black/White photographs, New England amateur skaters; but
also has articles on professional skaters, reviews of pro competitions
and ice shows.
BLADES ON ICE
7040 N. MONA LISA ROAD
TUCSON, ARIZONA 85741
PHONE: 602-575-1747
FAX: 602-575-1484
6 ISSUES/YEAR
$25/US, $34(USD)/CANADA, $45(USD)/EUROPE, $50(USD) OTHER COUNTRIES
AMERICAN SKATING WORLD
1816 BROWNSVILLE ROAD
PITTSBURGH, PA 15210-3908
12 ISSUES/YEAR
$19.95/US, $29.95(USD)/FOREIGN
AIR MAIL: $38.95(USD)/CANADA, $63.95(USD)/OTHER COUNTRIES
This is sort of a monthly skating newspaper--it is printed on newstock.
TODAY'S SKATER
CANADIAN FIGURE SKATING ASSOCIATION
1600 JAMES NAISMITH DR.
GLOUCESTER, ONTARIO K1B 9Z9
CANADA
Apparently only one issue/year. The CFSA also has a very nice catalog
with instructional videos, books, and other skating paraphernalia.
SKATER'S EDGE
BOX 500
KENSINGTON, MARYLAND 20895
5 ISSUES/YEAR
$15/US, $20(USD)/CANADA, $25(USD)/EUROPE
This is a newsletter (or small magazine if you prefer) of about 12
pages. It is devoted to technique -- NO GOSSIP about skaters.
The articles and skating tips come from established coaches and
famous skaters.
[D.3] Who wrote this FAQ list?
My name is Sandra Loosemore. I've followed the sport for many years,
although I've never been more than a recreational skater myself.
Some of the information in the post is taken from the USFSA rulebook.
I also incorporated suggestions from Helena Robinson, Fred Chapman,
Ann Schmidt, Mary Kolencik, and Stephen Kawalko. The information about
magazines was provided by Deborah Reed-Margetan.